A great performance from Simon Williams saved Ireland from a nine match whitewash at the hands of Australia in the Guardian Insurance Croquet International Challenge at Carrickmines yesterday. When taking the other results over the two days into account, it becomes clear how significant Williams's result was over Colin Pickering.

Surprisingly, Williams took the first rubber with ease, but one feared for the consequences if he had let Pickering force the game into a third rubber. However, Williams just managed to hold on and forge Ireland's only win of the tournament.